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Spleen removal - Risks

Alternative Names

Splenectomy

Risks:

Risks for any anesthesia include:

  • Blood clots in the legs
  • Breathing problems, pneumonia
  • Heart problems
  • Reactions to medications

Risks for any surgery include:

  • Bleeding
  • Infection

Additional risks include:

  • Injury to surrounding organs
    • Colon (rare)
    • Pancreas
    • Stomach (rare)
  • Increased risk for infection after splenectomy (post-splenectomy sepsis or other infections; children are at higher risk than adults for this complication)
  • Reviewed last on: 5/15/2008
  • Robert A. Cowles, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Beauchamp RD, Holzman MD, Fabian TC, Weinberg JA. The Spleen. In: Townsend JR CM, Beauchamp RD, Evers BM, Mattox KL. Townsend: Sabiston Textbook of Surgery. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2008:chap 56.